


Beneath The Crystal Trees

by Kunstpause



Series: Worlds And Times Apart [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/M, First Time, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:14:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24055759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kunstpause/pseuds/Kunstpause
Summary: While exploring the Crystal Tower, on the fields of St. Coinach, the Warrior of light meets someone who manages to draw her out of her shell.
Relationships: G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch/Warrior of Light
Series: Worlds And Times Apart [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1735438
Comments: 4
Kudos: 40





	Beneath The Crystal Trees

The fields of St.  Coinach  were surprisingly quiet at night. Not something Bia would have anticipated. Not with all the fighting and the amount of dangerous creatures roaming the area during the day.

Bia knew from experience that it was no less dangerous taking a stroll at night, no matter how calming the scenery may look at this time. Most of the camp inhabitants had put down their work for the day, turning in for the night, leaving her and the peculiar Allagan expert that she had spent the last few weeks around the only ones still around the fireplace.

Most of the time, they got along great, yet something about G’raha Tia kept throwing her off. No matter how much time they spent together, she couldn’t quite make heads or tails of this man. His personality ranged from charming and playful to stubborn and almost childish at some point. They would have lighthearted conversations only for him to suddenly stop and stare off into the distance, a sudden melancholic aura around him.

Tonight, he was nothing but laughter and smiles, though, and not for the first time, Bia had found herself utterly charmed by his stories and his wit. A strange sense of longing ran through her whenever she let her eyes linger for too long. For someone who referred to himself as a researcher and scholar first and foremost, he didn’t quite look the part of someone hiding away in libraries and study halls. The muscles on his lean, almost always bare arms spoke of the dedicated training of an archer, and the few times they had explored the vicinity together, he had been remarkably quick on his feet when it came to any danger around them. 

The more time they spent together, the more often she caught herself looking. Each day making it a bit more difficult to not let her eyes linger inappropriately. And if it had just been his appearance that caught her attention, Bia would have had an easy time ignoring it. It wasn’t, though. They had spent quite a few evenings like this, just the two of them, together around a campfire, and with each one, her fascination with him had only grown stronger. 

Bia knew what this was, what she felt. But what she didn’t have a clue about was what to do about it. 

Most of the time, G’raha was so easygoing and open about everything that Bia had a hard time determining if what he was doing could actually constitute as flirting or if it was simply the way he was. He just had a way of talking to her, of making her feel special. Feel heard. He knew who she was and yet never once had she felt like it made him treat her differently from others. Something that had become a rare occurrence ever since she had been named the Warrior of Light.

But even if it wasn’t all in her head, even if he was actually flirting with her, Bia had no idea on just how to handle that. She couldn’t lie to herself and pretend that she didn't want him to. She did. The heat rising up into her cheeks at the mere thought was telling enough. 

Of course, he picked just that moment to say something to pull her out of her thoughts.

“Now, just what are you thinking about at the moment?” G’raha asked with an amused twinkle in his eyes, leaning forward with an elbow on his knee, supporting his head as he grinned at her. “You went from thoughtful to happy to looking like you are thinking something untoward, and personally, I would love to hear all about it!”

The heat on her cheeks only got stronger as Bia tried to scramble for something appropriate to say. 

“I have no idea what you are talking about,” she mumbled quietly, avoiding his eyes as she took a stick and poked the almost extinguished fire.

The light laugh G’raha let out didn’t hold a hint of mockery, only genuine amusement. “Alright, if you don’t want to tell… Another question then!”

“Go ahead,” Bia mumbled.

“Why are you actually here?”

“Huh?” The question made her look up at him in confusion. “You asked for my help.”

“Yes, but it doesn’t actually require your constant presence here, you know that,” he said, a grin still on his face. “You could have walked off, done your own thing, and come back when we have something to show for. Yet you stay…” He tilted his head, his inquisitive eyes not leaving her.

Bia shrugged, uncertain just how to answer this. “Maybe I’m just interested in the research?”

That earned her another chuckle. “Please, you don’t really care about Allag,” G’raha said with a dismissive wave of his hand. It wasn’t accusatory, he was simply stating a matter of fact, and they both knew it. “While I appreciate it that you listen to every single one of my long-winded rants, I know you’re not actually dying to know all this. So…”

She wasn’t quite sure what gave her the courage to answer his question with something teasing and a little bit too close to the truth for comfort, but the words left her before Bia could help herself. 

“What do you want me to say?” she said, trying to sound flippant. “Should I stroke your ego and tell you I am sticking around for your sake? Because I want nothing more than to spend evening after evening looking at you and talking to you?”

G’raha’s grin widened, his mismatched eyes twinkling with glee as he nodded eagerly. “Actually, I would love for you to say that. It is indeed an incredible stroke for my ego.”

Bio couldn’t help but let out a snort. “Of course it is…”

Something in his eyes changed. The mirth was still there, but suddenly, there was an underlying gravity permeating the playful atmosphere.

“Would it help you to know that I could have returned home to study all this weeks ago?” he said, giving her a knowing look. “I don’t actually need to be here either…”

Bia swallowed. She had no doubt anymore, he was  _ definitely  _ flirting with her. What she still didn’t quite know though was just what to do next.

Bia had always found it hard to go after what she wanted. To even admit to herself that she wanted anything at all. Wanting something for herself had usually either meant letting someone else down or giving them something to exploit about her. She had learned the hard way that it was best for everyone involved if she didn’t let herself want things. Becoming Hydalyn’s champion had been a blessing. Everybody wanted something from her, wanted her to be someone for them. It had made it all too easy to let other people’s wants and needs replace her own. Let them take the void inside her and fill it up with their desires until she was no longer able to hear her own thoughts amidst the cacophony of their voices. 

But G’raha never talked to her like he wanted her to be someone else. Never asked her to put his goals above her own. All he had ever done was ask her to join him on an adventure. As an equal. And suddenly, all the wishes of others she had taken upon herself felt far away as the crackling of the fireplace became the only noise around them. In the quiet night around Mor Dhona, Bia had nothing to drown out her own voice anymore. 

Suddenly, there was a warm hand on her shoulder. She blinked, realizing that he was much closer than before.

“So,” G’raha said with eyes full of promise. “What do you think about maybe letting me take you to Seventh Heaven for a drink or two, and we’ll see where this goes?”

Part of her wanted to simply say yes, but the word got stuck in her throat. Burning her insides with the intensity of just how much she  _ wanted _ . To her own dismay, though, the part of her that was terrified was much louder and definitely in charge. 

“I think I need to go to sleep,” she said hastily, avoiding his eyes as she prepared to make a quick exit. “I’m very tired.”

She would have expected him to move away again, maybe say something with a hint of disappointment or annoyance, but he did neither. Instead, his hand on her shoulder nudged her gently.

“Bia, look at me.” The warmth and the sheer fondness in his voice made her look up, despite all her instincts telling her to leave. “I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable,” he said softly. “We are friends, are we not? And as a friend, you can simply tell me if you don’t want to. No hard feelings.”

Her eyes widened at the thought that he was giving her the perfect out. She opened her mouth to say the words, to say ‘I don’t want to,’ but nothing came. Instead, she found herself staring at him and she suddenly realized that she couldn’t say it. Not this time. Not when the mere idea of him thinking she wasn’t interested sat like a ton of brick in her stomach.

“It’s not that,” she got out, trying not to stumble over her words. With a sigh, she looked away. “I.. I’m just not... I am not very good at this.”

She could see from the corner of her eyes that G’raha’s smile had widened again.

“Luckily, there is no actual skill required,” he said cheekily. “Just your presence really.”

His light-hearted quip made her laugh as she turned back to look at him. He was still close enough for it to throw her off balance, but perhaps it was time for her to take all the courage and determination she was famous for and apply them to something more personal for once. 

“Maybe try again?” she asked, a tentative smile on her face.

G’raha’s ears twitched as he let out a chuckle before nodding. “Of course.” A bit more serious, his eyes found hers. “Would you like to have a drink with me sometime? My treat of course.”

Her voice was slightly shaky as she answered, but Bia didn’t care. “I’d love to, perhaps tomorrow night?” she said with a smile. 

The hand on her shoulder moved and suddenly she felt his fingertips running over the scales that went along her shoulder and up to her neck, gently caressing the part where they met sensitive skin. 

“It’s a date then,” he said, his voice suddenly husky as Bia shuddered underneath the light touch. An entirely new tension was in the air as she leaned into the touch.

For a brief moment, G’raha leaned closer, and Bia almost forgot how to breathe, her mind consumed by the thought of just how much she wanted him to kiss her. But just when she felt like he was about to, he drew back, a sudden cold feeling on her neck where a moment ago his fingers had been warm on her skin. He let out a deep breath before smiling innocently at her.

“I should let you get to sleep then, since you are so tired and all,” he said with a grin before getting up. At her flabbergasted look, he chuckled again. “Wouldn’t want you to be tired tomorrow night as well now, right?” 

It took Bia several seconds to get her bearings again before she could let out an indignant huff. “You are the worst! Why did I say yes to you?” It only got him to laugh again, his eyes twinkling in the low shine of the fire.

“Because you want to,” he shot back with another cheeky grin. 

The words, so simple, made her smile as well. He was right. Tomorrow, she would go and have that drink with him. And she would enjoy herself and try to leave all that was holding her back behind. Because she wanted to.


End file.
